Big exclamation point: Jurij Rodionov wins Challenger in Dallas
Jurij Rodionov makes you pay attention. The 20-year-old also won the final of the top-class Challenger in Dallas against Denis Kudla with 7-5 and 7-6 (10).
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Feb 09, 2020, 11:28 pm
After Rodionov had already defeated the number two of the tournament, Andreas Seppi, and the number three, Dominik Koepfer, the 20-year-old now faced Denis Kudla. The American had also entered the tournament as a seeded player and caused the surprise of the tournament in the quarter-finals when he took the top seed Frances Tiafoe out of the tournament. For Jurij Rodionov, it was the first meeting with the American who was born in Ukraine.
Both players started the game well on their own serve. In the first set, the Austrian even had a score of 86% on the first serve, so he hardly allowed anything. The Austrian was able to fend off the one breakball Denis Kudla found. In the tenth game of the first set, the American had to serve against losing the set and fight properly. There were several debuts, but the 27-year-old was able to keep his serve. But not a few moments later, when Jurij Rodionov made the break at 7: 5.
Nervous Jurij Rodionov
In round two, the servers also started confidently. Neither of the two could really become a setback at the beginning of the sentence. Until 6: 5, when Denis Kudla had to serve again against losing the set. After an American backhand mistake, Jurij Rodionov got his first match ball, but the Austrian's backhand did not find his way into the field and so it happened: tiebreak.
This turned out to be a roller coaster ride: Rodionov showed 3: 1, Kudla caught up and was suddenly 5: 4 in front. At 6: 5 it was the Austrian who found his second match point. But this also remained unused. After Rodionov was able to fend off two set balls, it was again the match ball Rodionov at 9: 8. Again Kudla could pull her head out of the noose. Match ball number four should then be one too many for Denis Kudla, who helped the young Austrian win with a forehand error.
The world rankings are now also moving forward. With the tournament victory, the Austrian can make up over 150 places and is now at position 201 in the ATP ranking. The youngster has also surpassed his previous record. Rodionov is now the fourth best Austrian after Dominic Thiem, Dennis Novak and Sebastian Ofner. After the triumph in Almaty 2018, it is only the second title for the young Austrian on the Challenger Tour.